German Grand Prix

Final positions in Hockenheim:

1. Hamilton (McLaren)

2. Massa (Ferrari)

3. Kovalainen (McLaren)

4. Trulli (Toyota)

5. Alonso (Renault)

6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)

7. Kubica (BMW Sauber)

8. Webber (Red Bull)

HOW QUALIFYING UNFOLDED (all times BST)

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By Sarah Holt

1407: "Lewis to win the race tomorrow and I hope it will not be in the rain."
Huhuhuguy on 606

1359: Last chance for Hamilton to take pole away from Massa. He puts it together through the final sector where he's looked strong throughout qualifying and jumps up to take pole for McLaren in 1:15.666. Massa will line up alongside him for second with Kovalainen third for McLaren. Raikkonen will have to think hard about his race tactics after claiming sixth on the grid behind Trulli and Alonso.

"Lewis found his pace in the final sector. I really thought Massa would steal it from Lewis but a great effort from Hamilton - spot on."
BBC Radio 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

1359: Massa still leading with 1:16.323 at the minute. Raikkonen cannot eclipse him and Massa goes faster again in 1:15.859.

1358: Two minutes to go and the main contenders are preparing for their final runs. The two Ferraris look poles apart and it looks like Massa is most likely to challenge Hamilton for pole. Looks like everyone is on the soft tyres now.

1354: Raikkonen is out on his first flying lap on the soft tyres but he is still struggling with some sideways movements. He's not looking smooth out there and his team-mate Massa soon eclipses him, as does Hamilton.

1351: Jarno Trulli in his Toyota answers my question. He's followed out by future Red Bull team-mates Vettel and Webber.

1350: We're open for business in the final session at Hockenheim. Who will show themselves first?

1348: "Sat in the main stand at Hockenheim. Lots of large moustaches and hotdogs and pilsner. It doesn't get any better than this."
Yorkiejon making us all jealous via text

1347: Bourdais (Toro Rosso), Button (Honda), Rosberg (Williams), Heidfeld (Williams) and Glock (Toyota) all go back to the pits for good after failing to go through.

"It's going to be very close in the final session but Hamilton has really been on the case here and is looking very confident."
BBC Radio 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

1343: A small Brit up arrow as Hamilton is sitting pretty at the top of the standings. Coulthard smacks his foot down on the pedal to move up from 12th to eighth and into the top-10 shootout - just as he said he would before qualifying. But Button cannot repeat the trick as his final run is only good enough for 14th.

1338: Four minutes to go; Button is in danger along with Bourdais, Vettel, Rosberg and Coulthard. Heidfeld is on the cusp though in 10th for BMW Sauber. Kovalainen ploughs into the grass and kicks up a plume of dirt at the final exit, but still goes up to P3.

1336: The BMW Saubers are still in the garage, while Kovalainen gets another sip of fuel and some new tyres.

1332: So Raikkonen sets the first meaningful lap in the second session as he finds his line around the track in 1:14.949. Massa soon follows him across the line in 1:14.747 to overhaul him at the top for now. That brings a smile from the Ferrari garage - not for long though as Hamilton tops them all with 1:14.603.

1330: The second session has been under way for three minutes so far but no sign of a car yet. Oh hang on here comes Raikkonen. Good man. Raikkonen is on the soft tyres.

1325: I'm going to hoist up the Brit up arrow as Honda's Jenson Button does enough to squeeze into the next session as does Coulthard, who moves up to seventh place after dallying in the drop-zone.

"If I was Robert Kubica I would be quite worried as they don't appeared to have rectified his problem from this morning. He is fighting that car but everything else more or less has gone as expected - though a big disappointment for Rubens Barrichello.
BBC Radio 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

1322: Some late dashes out on the track drag Alonso, Trulli, Coulthard out of the drop zone. Fisichella props up the timesheets and the Force India man goes out along with team-mate Adrian Sutil, Rubens Barrichello (Honda), Nelson Piquet (Renault) and Nakajima (Williams).

1317: The two Ferraris are really putting their foot down and Massa, still on the hard tyres, climbs up to top spot with 1:14.921. Raikkonen can't catch him and has to settle for the second fastest time.

1315: Around five minutes left to go in the first session and those in trouble so far are: Piquet (Renault), Fisichella (Force India), Coulthard (Red Bull), Trulli (Toyota) and Sutil (Force India).

1312: Everyone has had a run through now with Alonso up to seventh with his first effort for Renault and the BMW Saubers fifth (Kubica) and eighth (Heiidfeld). Now, all the drivers have had a first run we can have a little look at those in the drop zone.

1310: Hamilton nips tightly through the final sector to record his first lap of 1:15.218 to eclipse Massa. No sign of the Renaults or BMWs yet though in Germany.

1307: Massa is the first driver to break the 1:16.00 barrier as he tops the timesheets with 1:15.884. Kovalainen brings the first McLaren out on track now so we'll see how they compare to the Ferraris after a really good practice run.

1304: Raikkonen is out on the track as he tries to get to grips with the car. In final practice he plunged the car sideways so doesn't seem to be quite happy with the set-up at the minute.

1303: Toro Rosso's Sebastien Bourdais and Giancarlo Fisichella for Force India emerge next. Fisichella skids off at Turn One while Rosberg sets the first fastest lap of 1:17.522.

1300: The high-pitch roar of an engine signals the session is under way and first man out is Nico Rosberg for Williams.

1258: While the golfers struggle with the gusts in the Open at Royal Birkdale, the Formula One drivers will also have to deal with increasing winds in Germany. Almost ready to go for the first qualifying session.

1253: "Best guess, Hamilton or Massa to take pole and go on to win the race."
A hungover Glasdown on 606 (Hope the hangover's clearing up. Have you tried Irn Bru?)

1247: Oh no! I may have been a bit premature bringing out the sun graphic. Apparently there are some spots of drizzle falling now but conditions aren't expected to be too bad - though changeable - during qualifying. That'll teach me eh?

1240: The sun is blinking through the clouds over Hockenheim which should cheer up Kimi "Iceman" Raikkonen a little bit. The Finn hasn't been on the podium for five Grands Prix but wants to change that in Hockenheim. The only thing is wet weather is not his forte and neither apparently are German tracks.

He says: " "Neither Hockenheim nor the Nurburgring have ever brought me luck, although I really like them and I've always been competitive at both."

1236: Hello again, I've just had a quick look through the 606 predictions for qualifying and it looks like Hamilton is getting the most votes to take pole in Germany. Though Adam Scott Open Champion has gone for the intriguing choice of Alonso, Rosberg and Kubica, which would be nice for a change eh? Join the debate on 606

1230: A return to Hockenheim for the German Grand Prix signals the start of the second half of a Formula One season tighter than Lewis Hamilton's helmet.

With McLaren's Hamilton and Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen locked in a three-way tie at the top of the standings, grabbing pole in Germany is a high priority.

McLaren have had the edge at Hockenheim, with Hamilton on top in Friday's practice and team-mate Heikki Kovalainen edging ahead in the final session.

But if conditions stay dry then Ferrari will be confident they can eke out some extra pace in qualifying.

Fernando Alonso has also been finding some speed over one lap in his Renault while Red Bull-bound Sebastian Vettel is continuing to improve for Toro Rosso.

But who will get pole?

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Final practice times in Hockenheim:

1. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 1 min 15.621 secs
2. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 1:15.693
3. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.839
4. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 1:15.943
5. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:16.037
6. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1:16.133
7. Nelson Piquet (Brz) Renault 1:16.161
8. Mark Webber (Aus Red Bull - Renault 1:16.196
9. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:16.380
10. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams - Toyota 1:16.405
11. Jenson Button (GB) Honda 1:16.447
12. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull - Renault 1:16.515
13. Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams - Toyota 1:16.530
14. Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota 1:16.636
15. Sebastien Bourdais (Fra) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:16.808
16. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:16.906
17. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India - Ferrari 1:16.938
18. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 1:17.189
19. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India - Ferrari 1:17.312
20. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1:17.469